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Many veterans return to enroll in college

A Susquehanna Valley college is finding a new way to serve veterans returning from the service.

Shippensburg University just opened a Student Veteran Resource Center on its campus.

On college campuses, each student brings his or her life experiences but their trials, triumphs and their struggles can't always be seen.

"I didn't have an easy time making friends because it was hard to connect to people," said Lance Cpl. Brian Richard, a senior at Shippensburg.

Richard puts a face on a new wave of students.

He enrolled at Shippensburg University a few months after he came home from patrolling dangerous streets in Iraq.

Richard helps man the new Student Veteran Resource Center.

He doesn't wear his Marine uniform anymore, but has been able to connect to a new network of military friends on campus.

With all these resources, it's easier for some to recognize people and make connections with them.

The resource center is a place where the veterans can learn about their benefits, where a post-traumatic stress disorder counselor could come or where the veterans can just gather.

There are about 250 student veterans or students getting veteran benefits at Shippensburg and they have become an integral part of the university community.

"I think professors love them in class because they've seen the world. They're realistic. They know what's happened," said Associate Dean of Students Bob Smith.

Sgt. Patrick Rist said he first felt like a fish out of water when he enrolled in college.

He is a college freshman, even though he graduated from high school seven years ago.

"Coming back into the school zone, the whole thing just flip-flops," Rist said.

He said he is learning how to readjust to civilian life.

At Shippensburg, he found a new band of brothers at the resource center, also home base for the campus Student Veterans of America Group.

"When you come to college it's like a war again. You have to make new friends, start all over again and when you come to the SVA it's like, 'OK, I know the face, I know the name,' and you go from there," Rist said.

Those relationships have helped ease the transition from enlistment to enrollment.

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